29+ frames?

[Carbon_Dude]

Looks nice, I wouldn't mind seeing one built up by someone on this forum and learn about to all the details of the build.

[Ray Zorbak]

Don't they know they'd sell so many more of these frames if they would have a rear 142 and front 100 spacing option?

[Carbon_Dude]

Don't they know they'd sell so many more of these frames if they would have a rear 142 and front 100 spacing option?

Agreed.

[Izzy]

Don't they know they'd sell so many more of these frames if they would have a rear 142 and front 100 spacing option?

So true but the problem is I don't think they know. You would think they would just watch the forums and cater to needs but guess not

[jja]

It's just a copy of the tr3k stache, right? and not a new/original/researched concept. But I do agree on the spacing.

[Turtle]

Does anyone have an update on the Workswell frame? It looks like others have successfully bought and built another Workswell MTB frame. Someone should give the 29+ frame a go!

[bruto]

follow this guy, Turtle: http://forums.mtbr.com/tooltime/custom-bike-build-experience-guide-help-solicitation-985951.html

btw, to anyone bemoaning lack of 100/142 spacing with plus tires - meditate upon this:
http://www.bikepacking.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/2014-surly-od-crank-05.jpg
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2825/9238817577_5b10ca8c2b_b.jpg
http://www.whileoutriding.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/MG_3663.jpg
(it's all Krampus pictures)

more clearance is better

and don't say the hubs are hard to find - every merchant selling these Chinese frames will gladly offer you Novatec 771/772 in the Boost width, at around $100
more expensive options are also available if you're all for bling (which is not quite understandable considering how it's being put on a noname frame)

[Turtle]

Bruto,

Thanks for pointing out that MTBR thread to me. Just what I was looking for!

I don't mind buying the hubs for boost. What bothers me is that the wheels wouldn't be interchangeable with all my other wheels, which are currently able to switch between my other bikes (QR, Thru-Axle, XD driver body, Shimano driver body). It looks like 3 mm spacers on each side of a 142mm rear hub, and at the disc mounting surface could take care of the problem. The only question would be how the chainline/tire clearance works out.

[bruto]

Do you really need the interchangeability?
You won't be able to use 3.0 tires with your current rims, not safely anyway
Neither does it make sense to put regular MTB tires on 45-50mm wide rims

You can switch fork+front wheel, though, if either is out of order and you really want to keep riding that particular bike

[Turtle]

For me, the interchangeability is important. I would replace my current hardtail with a 29+ frame so that I could ride either 29+ or regular 29er tires. Obviously I could not use the 29+ tires on my 29er full-suspension bike, but I have a few different wheelsets (light weight XC wheelsets and 35mm internal carbon wheelsets) that are shared between bikes and that could go on a 29+ frame. For all I know, as I haven't ridden a 29+ setup yet, I may not even like 29+ very much, or only like it for certain conditions. I ride my hardtail for about 80% of my riding, and so I'd like to keep the setup quite versatile (from XC race to moderate trail riding).

[bruto]

well, no frames for you except Krampus, Gnarvester or custom

[SportingGoods]

I get the experience of someone who moved from 26 to 29 to 27.5+

Moving to bigger and bigger wheels tells me that it works only if you invest in top quality components. I can't imagine 29+ be of any interest if it's not a high-end bike. The bigger, the heavier, the more you will want light AND strong parts. This comes with a price.

[Miquel]

ican 29+ complete. $3300. 
http://www.icancycling.com/products/ican-29-carbon-mountain-bike?variant=6102438723

I recently saw a Trek Stache9 Holiday Sale for $3200... albeit aluminum frame but still comparing the list cost of both frames and forks the ican seems to me overpriced...

[bruto]

you can build the bike for less yourself, the price they ask for the components is not the best around
frameset - 700 (don't know if axles are included)
hubs - 100
bar + seatpost = 58
you can probably get a bit of a discount for the package

carbon rims you can get elsewhere for 410 (tandell cycling, ebay, mb other places)

you can do a lot better (or at least blingier) than GX with the remaining 1950 bucks

[bxcc]

I officially have one of the Workswell frame / fork combos coming. I ordered Friday evening so we will see how long it takes. My 062 frame from them came in around 2 weeks if I remember correctly. I was REALLY hoping to get it in 12k weave but they told me that I would have to order 20 units. So UD matte it is.

As a preliminary experiment, I took the wheels of my SC 5010 (29mm internal Nextie rims), installed some WTB Trailblazer 2.8 tires and threw them on my Workswell HT. I have a half dozen rides on it so far and I have been very pleased with the ride. It is still fully rigid so it gives me a good sense of what the tires are doing. Honestly they ride a lot more like a normal tire than a fat bike tire. They definitely have more cushion and more traction than a normal 2.2ish tire. I was running somewhere between 15 and 20 psi and i did feel the rim bump some rocks and roots but nothing hard. A friend was riding a new Farley 7 and we swapped for a mile or so. The Farley was cool but I was some glad to get back on mine. It does weigh about 10 pounds less than the Farley and there was no snow on the ground so that is kind of obvious.

I decided on this frame for a couple of reasons
1) Fat bikes aren't for me. I ski all winter so a dedicated winter bike isn't needed. A Plus bike with 3" tires will suffice on hard pack snow for the couple rides I will do each winter.
2) Workswell / Sobato (or whatever name they end up with) has been great to deal with. Going by post #29, they brought some products to Interbike so there is some sort of commitment to the sport. And they have a Youtube channel with some testing videos. (nothing super cool but the only chinese vendor doing so that I know of)
3) MTBtools on eBay now has some boost hub adapters allowing me to utilize my skinny wheels if I end up selling my 062 frame. Also allowing me to using my current 27.5 wheels until I can justify some Plus wheels.
4) I haven't decided on 27+ or 29+ and this will give me the option of either with optimized CS length.
5) Price. I ended up getting frame and fork for $579 shipped. I may end up with a squishy fork but so far, I really like riding a rigid bike. (helps having a full squishy bike for other days)

I will update this as things progress. Or maybe just start a new thread. For starters, I will probably just pull stuff off the HT to build up the Plus bike. But who knows, we will see what else Santa (me) will bring.